One Last Trip
by tyler.skirble
Summary: The Doctor takes River Song on her last trip


The sound of the universe filled the air of the stormcage as the familiar blue box materialized. River Song smiled as the doors of the TARDIS opened and a silhouetted man pointed a green light at the cage locking her in. The lock flipped and the doors to the prison swung open. Some lights flashed and then stopped immediately as the green light was pointed towards them. The Doctor walked out of his TARDIS and extended his hand, a smile on his face. River grabbed ahold of him. "Hello, Sweetie," she said. "Love your suit. Where are we going this time? Not to Darillium, I assume. Though you have been promising-,"

"Yes! Darillium! It's time I live up to my promise," The Doctor said, all while flipping switches and mashing buttons on the TARDIS console. "You'll love it. Just wait until you hear those towers. Nothing like it in all the universe," tears started to well up in the Doctor's eyes as he looked at the monitor and saw the planet he promised to take his wife to. He blinked them back. _Mustn't let her see_, he thought. "Go on. Back to the wardrobe. Put something nice on! No adventures tonight, and no running. Just each other." River ran back to the wardrobe to see what she could find.

Back in the console room, the Doctor gazed at the console in deep thought. _Darillium, _it read. He remembered another life. One where he wore a pair of Converse and a suit. There he sat handcuffed to a pipe on the wall. Hopeless. His wife wired into the computer mainframe of the biggest library in the universe, about to blow up in her head any second, and leave her stone dead. _Funny thing is, this means you've always known how I was going to die_. _All the time we've been together, you knew I was coming here. The last time I saw you, the real you- the future you, I mean, you turned up on my doorstep with a new haircut and a suit. You took me to Darillium to see the singing towers. What a night that was. The towers sang, and you cried. You wouldn't tell me why but I suppose you knew it was time. My time. Time to come to the Library- _

"Well? What do you think?" The Doctor snapped back to reality and spun around at the sound of his wife's voice. She wore a silvery green dress. The Doctor was taken aback. "You look lovely," he said, smiling. "Now come on, we don't want to be late!" He grabbed River's hand and a top hat he left on his coatrack and ran out the door whilst fixing the top hat atop his head.

"Would you take that ridiculous thing off?" River said, laughing.

"No! It's cool! Look how tall it is! I should start wearing this all time...Did I lock the TARDIS dear?" The Doctor asked.

"No, you never do. But I did."  
The Doctor and River found a private and laid down a table cloth on the shimmery blue grass. They say on it and looked up at the purple sky. The Doctor took coat off and wrapped it around River's shoulders. River smiled. "Look at that sky," the Doctor said to River, pointing in a particular spot. "Right over there, far far away, is where Gallifrey used to be. Have I ever told you about Gallifrey?"

"A little," River said.

"I wish you could've seen it. The red grass and the flowers outside my family's home. When I was young I used to lay on that grass, like we are now, and dream of other planets. Now I'm on other planets dreaming of home. The day I stole the TARDIS I was with my granddaughter. We flew above the planet and she said, 'grandfather, we'll be able to come back, won't we?' and I told her of course, because back then, we could. I never thought there would be a time where I couldn't. If I had the choice, River, that's where you and I would be. I believe I would've stopped this galavanting hero business. Settled down, with you."

"There's no use talking in what ifs. Just enjoy tonight."

The Doctor smiled. "Oh!" He said, "I almost forgot. I left something in the TARDIS."

"You better be quick! You don't want to miss the show!"

The Doctor ran to the TARDIS and snapped open the doors. "Where is it," he said aloud, and the TARDIS made a noise. "Yes, ok, thanks dear." he found the box, held it, and looked at it. He set it down on the console and looked at the monitor, now fixed on River looking up at the stars. He fixed his bow tie and grabbed the box.

"What's that?" River said when the Doctor returned to their spot. "It's a present. For after." He said. The towers, miles high, began to hum. "It's starting!" River exclaimed. "Yeah, it's starting," the Doctor sighed and wrapped an arm around his wife. Soon, music filled the air. The most beautiful music River Song had ever heard. The towers sang and sang and sang. Finally, they ran out of song and all was silent. River looked at her husband, a smile wide on her face, but nothing on his but sadness and tears. "What is it sweetie?" River asked. The Doctor sniffed, "sorry, nothing, it's nothing." River smacked grabbed the top hat, now sitting next to her, and placed it on the Doctor's head. He laughed through his tears. "River Song," he said. "What's in the box?" She asked. The Doctor wiped his eyes. He found the wooden box he had been keeping and handed it to his wife. "What's this?" She asked. "Open it." He said; and she did. "I don't-" she started. "It's my old screwdriver. Well, with some modifications. I was bored one night...never mind."

River was flabbergasted. "But you don't give your screwdriver to anyone!"

"You're not anyone."

"I love it!" River said and threw her arms around the Doctor. "Come on, better get back to the storm cage before anyone realizes your gone!" And back they went. Materialized where he had picked her up, the Doctor leaned against his box. "Thank you, Doctor," River said. "Say hi to mom and dad for me!" and kissed him. "Thank _you_, River Song. For everything."

"Until the next time!" she said. And the Doctor spun around snapped his fingers and flashed her a smile. The doors to the TARDIS swung open and he walked in closing the doors behind him. "See you around, River Song." he said to the empty console room.


End file.
